Woman's blouse (Huipil)

The bird and tree motif has roots in both Maya and European iconography. In Maya cosmology the 'World Tree' stands at the center of the universe surrounded by four trees, one at each of the cardinal directions, with birds perched on the tops. Weavers from many villages create repeating patterns of this motif and use it to embellish ceremonial textiles. In sixteenth and seventeenth century Europe, the bird in tree motif was quite popular and appears frequently in examples of brocade, lace and embroidery of the period. It is very likely that some of the Maya designs were inspired by the European versions, as they are nearly identical to patterns found in early needlework books and have a distinctly European aesthetic.